The present invention relates to film splicing devices for splicing together, end to end, films, magnetic tapes and the like, the devices include a base containing a longitudinally extending lower dieplate and a lid, hinged to the base, comprising an upper dieplate and knives, coacting with edges of the lower dieplate, to trim an adhesive tape correspondingly to sides of the film. Correspondingly to said splicing area, both lateral edges of the lower dieplate are provided with bridges whose tops lie slightly above the lower dieplate. Over these two bridges is stretched an adhesive tape, without contacting the underlying film or tape ends to be spliced together, which tape is depressed upon them by lowering the upper dieplate upon the lower one, thereby connecting the film ends by the adhesive tape. As stated, cutting blades provided on the lid, when the latter is depressed upon the base, strip the adhesive tape in coincidence with the lateral edges of the lower dieplate.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,522 discloses an improvement wherein at least one of the bridges is oscillatably mounted for movement between a position adjacent to the nearest lower dieplate edge and a position retracted therefrom, in which latter position the operator may readily insert his finger into the gap between the dieplate edge and the retracted bridge to grip one end of the adhesive tape adhering to the retracted bridge, detach it therefrom and stretch it until pressing it upon the top of the opposite bridge. In this operation, the adhesive tape adheres also to the oscillatable bridge and causes it to swing to its position adjacent to the corresponding lower dieplate edge. Spring means biasing the oscillatable bridge towards its retracted position cause the adhesive tape attached to both bridges to remain in tension. In this already disclosed device, the motion of the oscillatable bridge from its retracted position to its position adjacent to the corresponding lower dieplate edge has to be performed by hand.